Taion

Sometimes, I end up standing in front of a mirror and questioning why Alex picked me. Why he decided on the whole idea after its ruined his entire family relationship.  I just so happened to have found myself in this position after first when two other guys walk in the bathroom, pushing and joking around.  I have to do a double take; their faces are similar, but their hair and height do not match up.  Brothers. 

The tallest, a brunette, stops once noticing me and smiles. The blonde, a streak of eyeliner dabbed under his lashes follows suite. "Haven't seen you around before."

I glance away and busy myself with washing my hands, only replying with a curt nod. I can basically hear Jack in my mind scolding, Envy! That isn't how to be nice! And practically see him running up to the newer kids with a big grin and proclaiming that he is the one and only Jack Bassam Barakat and that his favorite past time is squirrel watching or something equally ridiculous. 

"Oh?" Yes, 'Oh.' "I'm Mattie. And this is -"

"Liam." The blonde states, grinning. He doesn't look like a 'Liam'; he resembles 'Disaster'. He's got small gauges, his septum pierced, and large sunglasses that I assume are supposed to be off by now -school did start an hour and a half ago. His hair is long and styled in a messy bed head look. His dress is all black except his denim acid washed jeans. Mr. Scene reaches forward to my face and i take a step back, but not before I notice the small tattoo that graces his wrist. Some phrase in elegant script that I can't read without being rude. 

The more clean cut, less piercing brother holds Blondie's hand back and gives me a small smile. "I'm super sorry. Liam has an, um, issue where he doesn't understand boundaries. Chances are," He glances at his brother who looks totally mortified at being caught, "He just wanted to examine your piercing." 

"My-?" I stop the question before its all the way out and touch my lip where the little black hoop is. "Oh, yeah." 

But Liam has suddenly lost interest and is slapping away invisible dust. 

"Liam, stop it," Mattie whines to his sibling, gripping at his arm, "You look like a moron. C'mon. Ive got to pee and we need to get to class. Listen. The bell just rung. You promised to drop me off at Chemistry."

The blonde sighs and points at a stall. "Go piss. We need to go."

"I just said that." Mattie gushes, but sprints to the stall and shuts the door. 

Blondie turns to me. "I didn't get your name." He slides back his sunglasses revealing grey-green eyes and I try to ignore their dept. I can already tell by the way he's trying to hypnotize me that he knows what he's doing. He must have a big ego.  

"Uh, Envy. Or Phoenix. Envy is shorter, though." 

He smirks and looks away, leaving me feeling even more uncomfortable. 

Seconds later Mattie is exiting his stall and joining my by the sink to wash his hands.  "Your new here then?"

I nod, wipping hands on shirt and trying not to flinch as Mattie's hand brushes mine. The close proximity is getting to me. They start to leave and I'm lacking behind them a bit when suddenly, the brunette turns on me, "Oh. Em. Gee. Your, like, the new kid who Adam was talking about!"

"Adam." I let the slightly familiar name creep off my tongue and I nod slightly, shifting my book bag to my other shoulder. "He's is my gym." 

Mattie grins, tugs at my wrist and says in an overexcited voice, "We are going to be best friends." His whole 'for sure' statement leaves me akwardly, "Uh"-ing, but he doesn't seem to notice. Liam is glancing at his invisible watch on his wrist while the taller brother continues, "Adam wouldn't shut up about you! You eating with us at lunch, right? Well, me and Adam that is. Liam kinda slinks off to smoke." Mattie wiggles is nose in disgust, but I don't get a change to answer. 

The boy's hands are ripped away from my wrists by a very annoyed Liam and a very loud bell. I'm late. Liam groans. "Mattie, this is my fourth tardy in a week! You so owe me when we get home." 

Mattie is apologizing, but he doesn't look sincere and waves shyly at me before departing, mouthing a 'See you at lunch.' 

I have to run to my AP Biology and the teacher, some man I've yet to figure out his name, raises his eyebrows at my late arrival. I slide into the desk and he tosses me a packet. "Review, Gaskarth. It's due Monday." I hold back a groan. 

XXX

The cafeteria is huge and always active considering students are  rushing through the doors and to the back hall that leads to the other side of the school.  It takes me two minutes of being pushed and shoved around before I notice the two teens eating at a round table in the middle of the room. Their book bags are discarded beside them. I pick my way over to them, trying to draw little attention, but it all ends when Mattie's head perks up. "Adam, Envy is here!" I choose to ignore the fact that I'd introduced myself when Mattie was using the bathroom. 

"Envy?" Of course Adam is confused. He never got my name. He looks up and grin. "Oh! New kid! Sit down." He pulls out a chair and I obey, sitting on the edge of the plastic and muttering a shy, "Hi" with my sketchbook tucked up to my chest. 

"Matt said he met you in the bathroom this morning. Hope he didn't make you late with chatter." Adam smirks knowly and Mattie blushes. 

"Just a little. Sorry bout that. Liam was pissed, though." A small grin graces his face and he shakes his shaggy brunette locks from his eyes while dripping a fry in ketchup. "He said I owe him when we get home."

"Oh my God, Matt. Shut up. Your going to scare newbie away!" He flashes me an apologetic look before shoving his plate away. "I don't even want to eat anymore. I'm going to have nightmares tonight." Adam laughs slightly, but I see him glancing at me for a reaction. I keep a straight face, picking at my nails. Adam continues. "You know, one day when you two get arrested and shit because of this affair, I'll laugh my ass off. Then puke."

Matt snorts. "We won't get arrested. Besides he's a halfie. Halfies don't count."

Adam laughs. "I don't care if he's your twenty third cousin! Incest is incest. Half brother or not, you don't sleep with them." Adam suddenly turns to me, cocks his head to the side. "Your not a homophobe are you?" 

I shake my head quickly, eyes wide and my mind flashes to Zack. Oh, if only they knew. 

Mattie breathes a sigh of relief and I take a sip of water from the bottle I'd purchased from the vending machine after second. "Thank God.  Liam mentioned something about a threesome with you earlier."

Its one second later that I'm choking on my drink, my cheeks are burning, and I hear Adam screaming at Mattie about boundaries. It occurs to me that both brothers have issues with boundaries, but it doesn't amuse me enough to stop me from choking. When I finish coughing into my sleeve, I release a pitiful, "What?"

"Envy, I am so, so sorry. Like really." Adam looks totally embarrassed, occasionally shooting glares at a bored looking Mattie and continues to rant about how he hoped that Matt would've been human enough to keep his dick to himself until lunch was over with. He then turns to the taller boy and explain that just because someone isn't homophobic, it doesn't mean they're gay, and that even if it did, it doesn't mean everyone would want to suck his cock. 

Matt gives an insincere apology, similar to the one he'd given Liam in the bathroom, and tries to look innocent. 

"Stop pouting." Adam growls, annoyed. "You resemble a cheap whore, and as much as Liam likes it, Envy doesn't."

Shortly after that comment and another sympathetic glance from Adam, my phone vibrates in my pocket. Before I even pull it out, I know it's Alex or Jack. I open the text message quickly. 

Rian is getting you today. We've got to meet up with Flyzik. -Lex

I don't text back; my mind is too crazy with hope that Rian won't bring up the Zack issue, but I know he most likely will. I let my head fall to the table, but Matt and Adam either a) don't care or b) don't notice. 

"Let's get the conversation off me, yeah? How is it that you managed to escape the office with only a detention? It's your third time setting the lab on fire!"

I glance up to see Adam smirking and leaning back in his chair. "Simple. They don't know a pyromaniac when they see one."